[WLRC, Arba Minch, October 1-2, 2025] The Basin Management Support for Resilient, Inclusive Growth and Harmonized Transformation for the National IWRM Programme of Ethiopia (BRIGHT) Project facilitated a two-day Community Consultation and training on Quick-win Integrated Catchment Management Interventions in the downstream Hare. The Training workshop, organized by the Water and Land Resource Centre (WLRC) and the Ministry of Water and Energy (MoWE), was held at Daros International Hotel, Arba Minch, October 1 – 2, 2025.
The main objective of this community consultation training workshop was to:
- establish a community consultation team and equip the team with community consultation methods,
- raise awareness among community members about IWRM interventions of the BRIGHT project with focus on quick-win intervention activities,
- align community priorities with BRIGHT quick-wins interventions,
- build trust, secure their commitment for mobilization and support, , and
form different arrangements for community engagement, such as Ketena Community Restoration Committee (KCRC), Kebele Technical Committee (KTC) and Joint Technical Committee (JTC) composed of experts from Gamo Zone, the three Woredas, Arba Minch Town Municiipality, Arba Minch University and other stakeholders.
The Gamo Zone Agriculture Department Deputy Head and Natural Resource Management Department Head, Mr. Workneh Kalsa, indicated that the project will benefit the community and environment. He emphasized the importance of building consensus and collaborative action on the proposed quick-win interventions and called for the key stakeholders to demonstrate their commitment to engage in implementation of quick-win interventions and responsibilities.
Director of Land and Ecosystem Services Division at WLRC, Dr. Yilikal Anteneh presented a detailed methodology on how to conduct local community consultation, establish community- and expert-based arrangements such as , Ketena community restoration committee, kebele technical committee in (Chano-Mille, Chano-Dorga, Chano-Chalba, and Kola- Shara Kebeles) and Joint Technical Committee. The training participants (community consultation teams) practiced and role played how to conduct community consultation. The ketena consultation team (lead), a broader community member, women, youth, experts, and outlier community members, etc. The training was finalized after each ketena consultation team agreed on and approved consultation date, place, and time.
